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The Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) is the largest country in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). The DRC is endowed with exceptional natural resources, including minerals such as cobalt and copper, hydroelectric potential, significant arable land, immense biodiversity and the world's second largest rainforest.

Most people, however, have not benefited from this wealth. A long history of conflict, political upheaval, and instability, as well as authoritarian rule, has led to a serious and ongoing humanitarian crisis, which has been exacerbated since November 2021 with the resurgence of M23 activism in eastern DRC. This situation has worsened an already dire humanitarian crisis, with millions of people displaced and hundreds of cases of sexual and gender-based violence. Renewed offensives and the capture of key cities and territories in North and South Kivu have enabled the rebels to control roughly 20% of the country’s territory. Ongoing negotiations in Washington and Doha aim to advance the implementation of the Washington Agreement, signed between Kinshasa and Kigali on June 27, 2025. Subsequently, on July 19, 2025, the Congolese government and the M23 armed group signed a declaration of principles in Doha, establishing a ceasefire and laying the groundwork for a comprehensive peace agreement.

Despite these diplomatic efforts, substantial challenges persist, delaying the effective execution of these agreements. Tensions remain high on the ground, with continued clashes involving the rebels, the Congolese army, and their allies. The security situation in Ituri province is similarly volatile, marked by inter-community violence and competition among armed groups for control over mineral resources and territories.

The government is working to reinforce state authority and credibility, enhance governance, and pursue structural reforms. These efforts are aimed at restoring and maintaining stability and peace, attracting investment, and generating employment opportunities.

Economy

In 2024, the DRC's economy grew by 6.5%, driven by a 12.8% expansion in the extractive sector, particularly copper and cobalt production. Non-mining sectors grew by 3.2%, reflecting diversification and increased private investment. The current account deficit (CAD) narrowed to 3.4% of GDP, and foreign exchange reserves increased to 2.5 months of import coverage. The Congolese franc depreciated by 8.7% against the US dollar, and inflation fell to 11.3%. The banking sector remained profitable with expanding credit and declining non-performing loans.

Looking ahead, GDP growth is projected to slow to 5.1% in 2025, with a temporary suspension of cobalt exports widening the CAD to 3.7% in 2025. Non-mining sectors are expected to drive growth, with construction and infrastructure investment boosting non-extractive GDP growth to 5.3% by 2027. Currency stability and inflation control are expected to continue, but risks such as conflict, health outbreaks, and geopolitical tensions remain.

Despite positive trends, poverty remains high at 72.9%, with limited job creation in the mining sector and structural weaknesses constraining inclusive growth. Sustained reforms and investment in non-mining sectors are essential for broader development outcomes.

Last Updated: Oct 01, 2025

DRC is among the five poorest nations in the world. An estimated 73.5% of Congolese people lived on less than $2.15 a day in 2024. About one in six people living in extreme poverty in SSA live in the DRC.

DRC ranks 164 out of 174 countries on the 2020 Human Capital Index, reflecting decades of conflict and fragility, and constraining development. DRC’s Human Capital Index is 0.37 which is below the SSA average of 0.4. This means that a Congolese child born today can expect to achieve only 37% of their potential, compared to what would have been possible if they had benefited from a full, quality schooling experience and optimal health conditions. The main contributors to the low score are low child survival rates under age five, high child stunting, and low quality of education.

DRC has one of the highest stunting rates in SSA (42% of children under age five), and malnutrition is the underlying cause of almost half of the deaths of children under the age of five. Unlike other African countries, the prevalence of stunting in the DRC has not decreased over the past 20 years. Due to the very high fertility rate, the number of stunted children has increased by 1.5 million.

Despite significant achievements, the education sector continues to face challenges in access, equity, and quality, especially for girls and children from poor and marginalized households. with modest backgrounds. While gender inequalities in pre-primary and primary education have declined over time, girls are still less likely than boys to attend and complete secondary education.

The rapid expansion of the education sector has unfolded, taking place in an environment characterized by internal inefficiencies and low learning outcomes. A learning crisis at foundational levels, exacerbated by the rapid expansion of primary education, extends into secondary education. This situation, coupled with a young but under-skilled workforce, poses risks to the future productivity of the Congolese economy.

Last Updated: Oct 01, 2025

The promotes the stabilization and development of DRC, supporting strategic priorities and critical reforms to improve governance and deepen stabilization efforts, in eastern DRC. The CPF places a strong emphasis on human development, with a commitment to help DRC improve access to and quality of basic services such as education, health, and social protection.

The CPF also has a strong emphasis on addressing drivers of fragility, conflict, and violence, and building resilience to shocks and climate change. Investment operations focus on two densely populated corridors that are conflict hotspots where many poor people live. This work includes critical infrastructure (roads, energy, connectivity), which aims to bring in the private sector, along with agriculture, and forestry.

Protecting DRC’s rainforest, the second largest in the world, is also at the forefront of the CPF. About 67% of the country is covered by forests (145 million hectares of rainforest), storing the equivalent of 85 billion tons of CO2. However, population growth, exploitation of natural resources, infrastructure development, and agriculture puts significant pressure on the forest with losses having adverse impact on rainfall patterns, water quality, and food security—in DRC and the wider Congo Basin.

As of September 15, 2025, the World Bank portfolio in the DRC totaled $7.6 billion, with 22 national projects ($7.4 billion) and one regional project ($152 million). Engagements span economic management, governance, and private sector development; human capital (health, education, social protection); sustainable development (infrastructure and connectivity, agriculture and food security, access to electricity and water, urban development); women’s empowerment, and prevention and response to gender-based violence); and digital transformation.

Last Updated: Oct 01, 2025

The SME Development and Growth Project helped found 6,012 new businesses, generated 14,926 new full-time jobs, and raised revenues of supported enterprises by 53%. It also provided training to 7,717 women entrepreneurs and women-led small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), offering financing to 5,307 of their businesses. Three SME Hubs launched and attracted $17 million in private sector investment.

Education investments have resulted in 4.4 million additional students enrolled in public primary schools in 2023-2024. 183,000 teaching personnel signed the revised Codes of Conduct (addressing violence) and a grievance mechanism was established to resolve conflicts/complaints and foster accountability.

supported 3,051 health facilities in 12 provinces, provided primary health services to 27% of the population, achieved 80% increase in women receiving four antenatal care visits, and benefits 7.5 million people annually. trained 70,000 health workers and improved WASH infrastructure, constructed boreholes, and upgraded labs.

improved water infrastructure and access in central Kinshasa, completing the second phase of the Ozone Water Treatment Plant, increasing daily capacity by 110,000 cubic meters, restored the Ndjili Water Treatment Plant to full capacity, facilitated 100,000 new household water connections, provided potable water to over 2 million residents.

brought 368,000 hectares under sustainable land management, direct livelihood benefits to more than 248,000 people, created 2,600 permanent jobs, especially in agroforestry, clean cooking, and community-based forest management.

Mai-Ndombe Emission Reductions Program delivered the first jurisdictional results-based carbon payment in the Congo Basin in 2025, rewarding the reduction of 3.89 million tons of COâ‚‚ and unlocking nearly $20 million for community benefit sharing.

Partners 

ľ¹ÏÓ°Ôº is a member of the Donor Coordination Group that aims to harmonize development partner activities in the field. It is working closely with the United Nations, the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), the World Health Organization (WHO), the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), the Agence ¹ó°ù²¹²Ôç²¹¾±²õe de Développement (AFD), the United Kingdom Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO), the German Agency for International Development (GIZ/KFW), and the Belgian Cooperation Agency. In some areas, the World Bank collaborates with the African Development Bank.

Last Updated: Oct 01, 2025